Hasta La Gadget!

“I was panicking every day, for most of the day, and after a few weeks of this I was both physically and emotionally exhausted.”

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that lets you send messages to yourself like reminders and shopping lists, parent Meta has confirmed with TechCrunch. Called “Message Yourself,” the feature was first spotted by WaBetaInfo several weeks ago as part of a beta test, but is now being rolled out globally to iOS and Android users in the coming weeks.

Once you get the update, you’ll be able to see yourself at the top of the contacts list when creating new messages. Once you click on that, you’ll be able to send yourself notes, reminders, shopping lists and anything else you might need to remember. The resulting notification, if enabled, could help make sure your self-note doesn’t go unheeded. Users can also pin their Message Yourself chats to the top of a conversation list for easier access.

Until now, you could only message yourself by creating a group with just you as a member or by using the apps “click to chat” feature, both inelegant solutions at best. Rival platform Signal already offers a feature called “Note to Self” that does much the same thing, though it’s buried in your contacts list rather than being available at the top. As mentioned, you should see the feature in the next couple of weeks whether on Android or iOS. 

Democrats celebrating a successful effort to keep control of the U.S. Senate this year will soon confront a 2024 campaign that could prove more challenging.

For the past couple of years, Cyber Monday has been almost an extension of Black Friday. In the tech deals space, lots of the discounts and sales we saw at the end of last week are still available now as Cyber Monday deals. There are some new ones, though, which means that even if you bought most things on your gift list during Black Friday, it’s worth taking another look online to see if there’s anything else you need or something you can get as a gift while on discount. We’ve collected all of the best Cyber Monday tech deals here so you don’t have to go searching for them.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

The latest AirPods Pro have dropped to $200 for Cyber Monday.. That $50 discount is the most significant we’ve seen on these buds that just came out a couple of months ago. The new Pros earned a score of 88 from us for their improved sound quality, excellent Transparency Mode and solid active noise cancellation. We also appreciate the addition of the U1 chip inside the buds’ wireless charging case, which enables Precision Finding using the Find My app.

Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

The second-generation Apple Pencil is back down to a record-low price of $89 for Cyber Monday. There are still a couple of iPads that only work with the first-gen stylus, but most of the higher-end models support this one. We consider it to be the best stylus for the iPad, and we like it for its low latency and built-in magnets that let it attach to the side of your tablet.

Apple 10.2-inch iPad

The 2021 iPad remains on sale for $270, which is the best price we’ve seen it. While Apple did just come out with an updated version, that latest model is much more expensive, coming in at $449. The 10.2-inch iPad is still a great option if you want iPadOS but only have so much to spend. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid performance, improved front cameras and excellent battery life.

MacBook Air M1

Apple’s M1-powered MacBook Air is down to $799 for Cyber Monday which is the best price we’ve seen. Although the M2 laptop is available now, the M1 machine remains a good option if you’re upgrading from an aging Intel model. We gave it a score of 94 for its blazing fast performance, lovely Retina display and lack of fan noise.

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)

The second-generation Apple Watch SE is on sale for $229, which is an all-time-low price. Apple upgrade a lot in this smartwatch — it has a new SiP and a larger screen, both of which help the new SE look and feel more modern. Apple still left some features to the Series 8, include an always-on display, ECG reader, skin temperature sensor and a few others, but if you can live without those upgrades, the Apple Watch SE gives you a ton of value at its relatively affordable price.

Xbox Series S

Not only does Amazon have the Xbox Series S for $60 cheaper than usual for Cyber Monday, but the online retailer will also give you a $40 credit to use on future purchases when you buy the console. That’s a total of $100 in discounts and credits, which is one of the best we’ve seen this holiday season. We gave the Series S a score of 85 for its slim design, 4K gameplay support and FPS boost technology.

iRobot Roomba s9+

iRobot’s high-end Roomba s9+ is on sale for $229 if you go to Wellbots and use the code ENG220 at checkout, or $799 at Amazon and other retailers. It earned a spot in our best robot vacuums guide thanks to its slick design, its ability to better clean room corners, its strong suction power and its included clean base.

Chromecast with Google TV

The 4K Chromecast with Google TV has dropped to $40 for Cyber Monday. It’s one of the most affordable ways to get Google’s streaming OS into your home, along with 4K content support. We like this Chromecast’s compact design, handy remote and its smart integration with the Google Assistant.

Sony DualSense controllers

Sony’s DualSense controllers for the PlayStation 5 are down to $49 in several finishes. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen, and depending on what color you choose, comes in either $20 or $25 below the pad’s usual price. In general, the DualSense is harder to hook up with a PC than its Xbox counterpart, but its D-pad isn’t as clicky, it doesn’t rely on AA batteries and its haptic feedback system is much more nuanced.

Crucial MX500 (1TB)

Crucial’s MX500 internal drive is down to a new low of $68 for the 1TB version, and you can find discounts on the other configurations, too. We’ve long recommended this drive for its standard form factor, its sequential reads/write speeds of up to 560/510 MB/s and its AES 256-bit hardware encryption. It also has integrated power loss immunity, which saves all of your work even when there’s a power outage.

Jabra Elite 3

Jabra’s Elite 3 wireless earbuds are on sale for $50, which is the best price we’ve seen. Considering these buds start out at less than $100, you won’t find some advanced features on them like noise cancellation or wireless charging. However, they pack impressive sound quality for the price, along with a comfortable design, reliable onboard controls and good battery life.

Google Nest Audio

We called Google’s Nest Audio smart speaker “a steal at $100” when we reviewed it, giving it a score of 87. And now it’s half that price for Cyber Monday. For just $50, you get a smart speaker powered by the AI of the Google Assistant, plus a speaker that delivers surprisingly good sound quality for its size and price point. We did note that the Nest Audio sounds even better as a pair, and now might be a good time to grab two.

Elgato Stream Deck MK.2

Elgato’s Stream Deck MK.2 has dropped to $120 for Cyber Monday, which is a record low. We’ve recommended various versions of the Stream Deck for a while now as an essential accessory for game streamers, but also a handy peripheral for power users to have, too. The MK.2 has 15 programmable buttons that let you trigger actions like launching an app, muting your mic and more, plus you can truly make it your own with a custom faceplate.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT

The excellent and already affordable ATH-M20xBT are on sale for $59 for Cyber Monday, which is a record low. These are our current favorite budget cans thanks to their good sound quality, comfortable design, Bluetooth multi-point connectivity and 60-hour battery life. They may not have as slick of a design as more expensive headphones, or advanced features like noise cancellation, but you can’t beat their value.

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones are back on sale for $229 right now, or 30 percent off their usual price. These are some of our favorite over-ear cans thanks in part to their excellent active noise cancellation and clear, balanced audio. The design isn’t as slick as some of our other favorites, but they’re comfortable to boot, plus their 24-hour battery life means you’ll be able to wear them for long stretches of time without interruption.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are down to $348 right now, which is the best price we’ve seen since they came out earlier this year. These are our current favorite wireless headphones, and Sony essentially changed only a few things about the previous WH-1000XM4 to make these cans even better. They have improved noise cancellation and sound quality, plus a slick new design and a solid battery life. We also appreciate their Speak-to-Chat feature and multi-device connectivity.

Google Pixel Buds Pro

Google’s best earbuds yet, the Pixel Buds Pro, have dropped to $150, which is $50 less than their usual price. These are the Android-maker’s answers to Apple’s AirPods Pro, and they are, without a doubt, one of the best pairs of wireless earbuds you can get if you don’t have an iPhone. We gave them a score of 87 for their deep, punchy bass, reliable touch controls and wireless charging case.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K is on sale for $25 right now, or half off its usual price. This small dongle connects directly to your TV’s HDMI port and streams content in 4K, supports Dolby Vision and offers voice command capabilities via its remote. This updated model also has fast, long-range WiFi and a private-listening feature that lets you listen to your TV’s audio video the Roku mobile app.

Fitbit Inspire 3

The new Fitbit Inspire 3 is down to $70 for Cyber Monday, which is $30 off its usual price. We named this the best budget fitness tracker you can get right now, and that’s only more true when you can pick it up while on sale. The Inspire 3 is more slim than the Charge 5, and while it doesn’t have built-in GPS, you can use its connected GPS feature to map runs and bike rides if you have your phone with you. We also like its automatic workout tracking and long battery life.

Amazon Echo Dot

The latest Echo Dot has dropped to $25, and that’s the first real discount we’ve seen since the device came out a few months ago. Amazon added a bigger speaker inside this Echo Dot for improved sound, and it has a new built-in temperature sensor as well. That will come in handy if you have other smart home devices you control with Alexa because, if the temperature sensor reaches a certain level, you can program a routine to, say, start a fan to keep your environment precisely how you like it. The new Dot can also pair with an Eero WiFi system to add up to 1,000 extra square feet of coverage.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 is on sale for $800 right now. Each iteration of Samsung’s foldable phones is better than the last, and the Flip 4 is no different. It has a slick design that neatly folds in half, rendering it small enough to slip into your pocket. Not only do we appreciate its attractive and more durable design, but we also like its improved battery life and the increased number of hands-free applications it supports.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Samsung’s Cyber Monday deals include the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which is $400 off and down to $1,400. It’s certainly the most polished Fold Samsung has created, and we gave it a score of 86 for its brighter main screen, upgraded main and telephoto cameras, sleeker hinge and noticeably better battery life.

OnePlus 10 Pro

You can pick up the OnePlus 10 Pro smartphone for only $549 right now, which is the lowest we’ve seen it. The standout feature of this handset is its remarkably fast charging technology: you can get a full charge in just over a half hour using 80W SUPERVOOC charging. However, US users are capped at 65W SUPERVOOC, but that’s still the speediest charging standard available stateside. Otherwise, we also appreciated the 10 Pro’s lovely 120Hz display and its fast face-unlock feature.

iRobot Roomba j7

iRobot’s Roomba j7 is on sale for $349 right now, which is the cheapest we’ve seen it, and you can get the j7+ for $599. This is one of iRobot’s latest robo-vacs and it has enhanced obstacle avoidance which lets it navigate around a robot vacuum’s arch nemesis: pet poop. It also has 10x the suction power of a standard Roomba, plus support for smart mapping and Alexa and Google Assistant voice control. With the j7+ model, you’re also getting a clean base into which the robo-vac will empty its bin after every job.

Amazon Echo Show 5

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is back on sale for $35 for Cyber Monday. This has been one of our favorite smart displays for quite some time, primarily because it acts as a great smart alarm clock. It has a 5-inch display that shows the date, time, weather conditions and more, plus it has a handy tap-to-snooze feature. And if you want it to wake you up visually, too, its sunrise alarm will slowly adjust the screen’s brightness to wake you up more naturally.

Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite has been discounted to $95 for Cyber Monday. While we consider the Signature Edition to be the best e-reader, period, the standard Paperwhite comes in at a close second. It has a 6.8-inch display with 17 front LEDs for better illumination, plus a water-resistant design, Audible support and a battery that can last weeks on a single charge.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

Amazon’s most affordable streaming stick is on sale for only $15 right now, which is half off its usual price. This is a good option if you want to upgrade an old, “dumb” TV in your home into a smart one. The Fire TV Stick Lite provides access to Amazon’s Fire TV OS, through which you can access services like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and others. The TV Stick Lite supports FHD content, and you can use the included Voice Remote Lite to ask Alexa to show you the content you want to watch. If you want to upgrade a bit to Dolby Atmos, you can get the standard Fire TV Stick for only $5 more.

Blink Mini

Amazon has brought back the two for $30 Blink Mini deal for Cyber Monday. This compact, wired security camera is only meant for indoor use and you’ll have to keep it close to an outlet, but it shares all of the basic features with the larger Blink Indoor and Outdoor cameras. It record 1080p video and supports two-way audio, plus it’ll send motion alerts to your phone and you can control it via Alexa voice commands.

Your Cyber Week Shopping Guide: Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter. Also, shop the top Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals on Yahoo Life. Learn about Black Friday trends on In the Know, and our car experts at Autoblog are covering must-shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday auto deals.

If you’ve been waiting for the best possible deal on an Xbox Series S console, today is the day. For Cyber Monday, Amazon is offering a $60 discount (20 percent) plus a $40 coupon that can be applied to future purchases. That effectively gives you a $100 discount (33 percent) off the regular $300 price for today only — a great deal on a very good console. 

Buy Xbox Series S at Amazon – $240 (with $40 credit)

When the Series S came out, we called it the “next-gen starter pack” and gave it a solid 85 score. Even though it doesn’t support gameplay in 4K, it plays incredibly smoothly and has a svelte look that will fit into any decor. Thanks to the FPS boost technology added to the Series S and X, older games, including many made for Xbox One, will look and perform better with faster frame rates.

Unlike the Series X, the Series S only plays digital titles, with no slot to insert physical game media. It’s a great option if you have an Xbox Game Pass membership, though, which costs $10 per month for the Console tier, and $15 per month for the Ultimate tier. Either level unlocks a library with hundreds of game to download and play, while also granting discounts to many titles you might want to buy outright.

Another caveat is that the Series S has less SSD storage, with 512GB on-board compared to the 1TB for the Series X. If you like to keep plenty of titles on hand, you’ll either need to shuffle them between the main disk and USB-C storage, or purchase Seagate’s $200 expansion card. All told, though, it’s a great option for casual console gamers, particularly considering all the backward-compatible Game Pass games — just keep in mind that the sale ends today.